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Tag - work-style-reform

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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WORK STYLE REFORM

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials wear shorts, T-shirts and sneakers at work on Tuesday as part of the capital's Cool Biz initiative.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 15, 2026
Too hot: Buttoned-up Tokyo officials ditch suits for ¡®cool¡¯ shorts
The loosening of a strict dress code comes as Japanese offices cut reliance on air conditioning due to high energy costs linked to the Middle East war.
Since April 2024, the amount of overtime doctors can perform has been capped at a maximum of 960 hours per year.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jul 14, 2026
15% of doctors put in over 960 hours of overtime, health ministry survey finds
The results come despite yearslong efforts to address overwork in the medical industry.
A survey conducted by the National Personnel Authority in December found that 16.1% of full-time national government employees said they "absolutely do not want" to relocate for work, while 36.5% said they would "prefer not" to do so.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 17, 2026
Government employees in Japan express reluctance to relocate for work
The National Personnel Authority urged government agencies to reassess whether relocations carried out largely as a matter of custom are still necessary.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a May Day event in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Apr 29, 2026
Takaichi vows support for wage hikes at May Day event
The prime minister also called for cooperation to achieve ¡°sustained wage hikes that outpace inflation.¡±
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a meeting of the government's Japan Growth Strategy Council on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 23, 2026
Takaichi asks for accelerated review of discretionary work system
As Japan¡¯s annual labor productivity growth has stayed at around 0% in inflation-adjusted real terms in recent years, the government also aims to raise it by 15% over five years.
Corporate support for employees raising children is gaining momentum, as companies face growing pressure to better accommodate the diverse needs of employees.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Apr 8, 2026
More Japanese firms providing benefits for parents with sick children
An increasing number of employees returning from parental leave are struggling to find care if their children fall ill.
Pedestrians in the central business district in Melbourne, Australia
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 2, 2026
World-first work-from-home laws threaten Melbourne¡¯s economy
With a legal right to work remotely twice a week, many businesses fear how this will affect them.
Yukimi Takahashi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo in December, held prior to the 10th anniversary of the death of her daughter, Matsuri Takahashi.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society / FOCUS
Apr 1, 2026
Labor officials worry work-style reform progress could backslide
The administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has started discussing a possible easing of working-hour regulations.
The government adopted a bill Friday to support logistics systems that let truck drivers limit work to day trips.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 6, 2026
Government adopts bill to promote drivers¡¯ work-style reform
Under the bill, the government will subsidize the costs of drawing up plans for multiple logistics firms to relay cargo.
A labor ministry survey showed Thursday that 10.5% of workers want to work longer hours, including 0.5% who would want to exceed the 80-hour monthly overtime cap.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Mar 6, 2026
One in 10 Japanese workers want to labor longer, survey shows
Meanwhile, 30.0% hope to reduce their work hours, and 59.5% are satisfied with the status quo, according to the labor ministry survey.
More than 58% of eligible male local government employees took child care leave in fiscal 2024, exceeding 50% for the first time ever.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Feb 28, 2026
Paternity leave gets boost as local governments make it easier to take time off
The move is aimed at retaining human resources amid unabated population outflow to bigger cities.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers her policy speech during the House of Representatives plenary session in Tokyo last week.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Feb 23, 2026
Takaichi expected to scrutinize Japan¡¯s discretionary work system
The system allows employees to work flexibly at their own discretion to improve efficiency, but concerns remain that it could lead to excessive working hours.
Trucks on a road near a shipping terminal in Yokohama. In 2024, the annual working hours of drivers of large trucks, who are mainly involved in long-distance cargo transportation, averaged 2,484 hours.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Feb 19, 2026
Distribution law in Japan to be revised to help long-distance truck drivers
The aim is to allow drivers to pass their cargo to other companies¡¯ trucks at warehouses along transportation routes, making it easier for them to return home within the day.
Mappa¡¯s employees work at the anime studio¡¯s office in the city of Osaka in September. Some parts of the image are blurred for privacy reasons.
BUSINESS
Jan 21, 2026
Growing number of anime studios setting up bases outside Tokyo to secure talent
More companies are drawn to other cities by advantages such as easier access to local graduates and the potential to offer a better work-life balance.
Yukimi Takahashi, the mother of Matsuri Takahashi, who died as a result of overwork, speaks to reporters in front of her daughter's portrait in Tokyo on Dec. 5.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Dec 21, 2025
Mother in Dentsu suicide case opposes any easing of labor laws
The mother has spearheaded efforts to prevent kar¨­shi, including through speaking engagements at schools and labor unions.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) attends a session of the House of Councilors Budget Committee at the Diet in Tokyo on Wednesday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Nov 14, 2025
Prime Minister Takaichi says she sleeps only 2-4 hours a night
The revelation about how little she sleeps came after Takaichi raised eyebrows last week by arranging a 3 a.m.?staff meeting in her office to prepare for a parliamentary session.
Once smoky, male-dominated spaces, today's net cafes, like Kaikatsu Club, are working to make their operations more attractive to women customers.
BUSINESS / Companies / Longform
Nov 3, 2025
The second life of Japan¡¯s net cafes
Once symbols of urban solitude, these spaces are finding new purpose as coworking hubs for a changing, wired generation.
Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, speaks during a news conference after the LDP presidential election in Tokyo on Saturday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Oct 8, 2025
Lawyers protest Takaichi¡¯s ¡®work like workhorses¡¯ remarks
The group is led by Hiroshi Kawahito, a lawyer who represented the family of an employee of major advertising agency Dentsu who committed suicide due apparently to overwork.
Nomura Holdings will require employees in Japan to spend two days a week in the office, double the current requirement.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 26, 2025
Nomura doubles minimum work-from-office requirement in Japan
The change is scheduled to take effect in spring next year, putting staff in Japan on par with Nomura¡¯s global employees.
Workations were a burgeoning trend in the corporate world for years before the COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged it.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Aug 19, 2025
Tokyo crowned No.1 ¡®workation¡¯ spot
Japan¡¯s capital topped the rankings for its ¡°exceptional broadband speeds, transport infrastructure, safety, culture, and new digital nomad visa.¡±
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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